Sources have shared that Tonya Green, formerly Tonya Gant,  has been found dead in her home. Foul play isn’t suspected.
Escambia County Administrator Janice Gilley forced Green out as director of Neighborhood Services in October after working 32 years for the county.
Both County Administrator Gilley and her director for communications and public relations, Laura A. Coale, have insisted that Green was not terminated but resigned.
Two independent sources in county government have confirmed that the former director wasn’t given an option to keep her job in the Gilley administration.
Green’s “resignation” is similar to how Coale’s predecessor, Joy Tsubooka, departed the county. Â Prior to showing up for work on July 1, Gilley made it clear to several commissioners that Tsubooka would be let go. Â Tsubooka abruptly resigned on July 8.
Gilley has “hire and fire” power as county administrator and is free to establish her own leadership team. Â Resignations/retirements/terminations are expected, but let’s not play word games.